Agitating electroplating mechanism



Dec. 12, 1950 c, FREAD 2,534,165

AGITATING ELECTROPLATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1950 c. L. FREAD AGITATING ELECTROPLATING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29, 1945 INVENTOR (bar/e5 A. F/ead Dec. 12, 1950 c. 1.. FREAD AGITATING ELECTROPLATING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 29, 1945 INVENTOR Z Char/e5 Freud ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1950 C. L. FREAD AGITATING ELECTROPLATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Char/es L. Fre ad BY W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1950 P'A OFF ICE-2- AppIicatiom'De cemberFZQ, 1945; .SeriaLNoZ';63.7,849 i 2 claims; (01. 2042-202):-

The present invention relates to electroplating-3i t-an'ksliand ineans fof'agitating the" workiin mewelectroplatingjsolution' within the tank. as;th"i work f is vlprogressively Lmoved "from. 'one""end "or i thttankt'to the othrdu'ring theplatiiig' processin M thereby speeding up" pro'duction" and greatly'en hancing the Vefiiciency' and successof theplatin'gzf action? An! object of the inventiomis' to-provida'anf' efliciient mech'anisrn of this ."char'a'cter'in whicha '10,

continuous:Spro'duction of '1 plated: 'articles'is at; forded .t'and where means arefused'ito suitably suppvlrtfth' work within the tank on imeans" carrying :tlie same horizontally lengthwise "or-1*. the same with meansalso "operating 'to 'vertica'lly move thearticles withinthe electroplating'solue tioir fin f'ia simplified-rand smoothly operating manner;

} In toneiembodim'ent'of' this invention, the" work" is moved along: by endless conveyors; iand thesame' time vertically.'reciprocatedfby a push rod mechanism operated by eccentrics "driven from a power shaftand absorbing "means-are" also'usedto cushion the actioirof the eccentricsi thereby smoothing the". operation"ofthe meclra 5 nism throughout "thereby eliminating irregular jerking movements, jolts and "jars andheavy wear consequent thereto upon-the, entire mechanism?"- Furtherobiects and advantagesare "within the scoperof this invention suchas relate to-"the arrangement; Operation; 'andfuhction-fof-"tlfe re lated elements ofthe' structure to various de-' tails bfconstruction'and to combinati'onsof' iartsj elei'n'ents per *se; and toeconomies "of'iiianufacture and numerous other features as'willbe-apparent-35 from"'-'a consideration of" the" specification-"and drawing of'a formof" the inventionfiivhichfi'maybe preferred, in which: i

Figure-I is atop plan view of our agitator tank;

Figure II is a side. elevation;.

Figure III i's' a 'transverse'sectional view on thief-Kline III'Hr-III 20f Figuret'-=II;i1..;:

Figure IV is a detail of the ch'ain'iiandmcathodei rod connections;

Figure V is an enlarged side elevation of the eccentrlodrive and shock absorbing means motion for the agitating means; L

Fig'ure'VII is an enlarged sectional view 'ons'the use VII V-II' 'bfFigureVr no Figure "VIII is "a 'frontvertical;ielevationirofi' FiiliieVIIf: v

Figure" IXi's' a sectionaldetailof'the buss'bar" and push rod eissemblYi-andfif FigurerX is a sectionallviewwon line of'l a. Figure V showing the shock absorber.

The agitator mechanism vfor the electroplating tank In includesthetwo copper-buss bars B, one' carried on'each sideof' tank-:1 0' at the top,

which buss *barscarry the transversely? arranged oo I cathode rods I2. Since the buss bars B recipro cate" vertically; as" will he'rein'aft'r be fullyrset" forthjthe" current ."is ledin 't0tl1' buss *bars 13 by flexible "connectors C illustrated 'in detail *in FigiiretVIIIi These" flexible "connectors" C "areconnected tol'a stationarylead in fixed buss 'bar"-" l I; insulated'iromthe restof the entire machine,- the fixed" blissibar- I I being connected with any" suitable source of' power; The articles being plated, 'or'*the work W;is 'hung'do'wn from rods l2"i'nto"th"p1ating solution in tank In as-showrr An' endless chain conveying "-'rnech\anism"=" 2 0 movesthe work lengthwiseof the tank ID- and tothis end weuse a suitable gearing 2 witha 'drivemechanisrn'fl forconnecting-the chain"? conveyor Zfl'through said gearing with an electric" driving motor" 24'f""Th'e-work'W is directly carried bytlriecathode'rods-l2 which; whileresting on buss bars 'B, arepushed along: over the ta'n'kwhi-le' bushing 32' "connected" to 'thet'cathode rodsflz illustrated inFig'uraVII: The rodsl2 are proventedfromsli'dingtransvers'ely by a squareblock' 34 recessed at 35*for-sliding the cathode rod on the' 'busssbar Bi At the 'same time therods'n have a satisfactory; electrical "contact"- with the- An "important featu'rei of c'iurinventionis the means 'twagitate thework W vertically as-it progressesithrough 'the solution-in the tank 10.

It 'is desirable"to 'keep-gthe surfaceof'the workii I free from -anytlringinterfering with the uniform actio'n'ofthe electrolytic deposit, such as gas for matioirfbiibbles andthe like and the vertical "reciproc'ation of the work partic'ularly the downward inovement operates to prevent gas forma tionaand' to dislodge any" bubbles formed-thus facilitating-"a uniform electrolytic action. To this endfithe' buss bars 13, and consequently 'the cathodero'ds 112"; arer'reciprocated vertically as the rodstZ-move thework' longitudinally through" the tank. A satisfactory mechanismforfireciprocating'thj busa'bars B, we" have found in "a series of verti'cal push rods ea-ch operated by an eccentric mechanism as indicatedi'n' "Figures III', VII,'"-;VIII, and*IXI We arrange-two pairs of power-drivenshafts-S*extending'galo'n'g the 'op-' posi-te"3 sidESrofl-tajnk vI il'f" each shaft" having at spaced*"intervals= thereon; eccentrics 4G secured to shafts S, said eccentrics 56 forming means with suitabl e reciprocati-ng push rods-or connections to movebuss-beirsBup and down, which in :tiirnwerticahy 'reciprocates the "cathode rods and hence-the. articlesto be plated or the work' -'1 bearings 43 and is carried on the outside of the tank ill, as by channel plates 95 and uprights 46. The lower end of push rods 42 have heads 45, preferably hardened for contact with and op eration from the eccentric cams 49.

The copper buss bars B are each insulatingly end of the latter being secured to the lower channel plate 65 as indicated in Figure VII. The upper ends of the push rods 42 are rounded off as indicated at 92' in Figure IX to suitably contact a bumper plate 55 insulated at- 51 and carried on the bottom edge of the bus bars B.

Another important feature of our invention is the employment of means to absorb the shock and cushion the operation of the entire mechanism. As the eccentrics go over dead center and the load (including all the work) the cathode rods and the buss bars are released from an upward thrust to a downward movement, the weight when fully loaded amounting in many instances to thousands of pounds. We therefore provide hydraulic shock absorbers 69 insulatingly connected at the top with buss bars B and insulated at the bottom connection with the fixed channel plates 45, located at spaced intervals along the tank between the several eccentrics 49. A satisfactory shock absorber for this purpose is shown in Figure X insulatingly connected at the top by bolt 65, insulating grommet 62 to buss bar B. At the lower connection a bolt 95, connected to the other workingpart of the absorber 59 through insulationfifi is secured to angle iron 6'? which in turn is bolted or otherwise secured to channel 95.

The details of the shock absorber 6|] shown in Figure X includes a sleeve 79 carrying the grommet 62 on head I! secured to the buss bar B by bolt 6! as stated. The head licarries a piston it within the inner cylinder of the shock absorber proper, the other casing 76 thereof being provided with head I? connected to bolt 65 and hence to channel 455. The piston 73 has suitably arranged openings therein as at 78 to' resist movement of the working fluid in one direction to absorb the shocks employing the check valve mechanism '39 but permitting free move ment of the parts in the other direction as typical of the operation of hydraulic shock absorbers.

The work W as stated is moved through the tank It by an endless conveyor mechanism and the upper part of endless chain 29 rides along the bottom of the upper channel 50 as shown in Figure VII and on top of the lower channel 45. The motor '24 is connected by a suitable chain drive mechanism 25 and speed reduction mechanism to the sprocket wheel 2| of the endless chain 29. As shown in Figure I, at one end of tank In, a shaft 21 drives the sprocketwheel for a similar chain 29 on the other side of the tank l9. i

The mechanism for driving the eccentric shafts S include an electric motor 80, (Figure I and Figure II) drive 8! to gearing 82 connected to sub shaft wheel 85, and as shown in Figure VI more in detail, the shaft 8'! of wheel 85 drives sprocket 88 for chain 90 and overhead shaft 4 9| (see Figures L n and III) driving chain 90' on the other side of tank It). Referring to Figure VI, 2. gear box I99 contains a set of bevel gears Hll, I92, each adapted to be driven from gear I93 on shaft 81, in turn driven by wheel connected to the power as stated supra. Each bevel IUI, I02, drives stub shafts H9 and III, the latter arranged to drive eccentric shafts S, as indicated. A duplicate of the gear box I00 and drive for shafts S is located on the other side of the tank It, as shown in Figure 111 in which case the gear 85 is driven from chain I claim:

1. In combination with an apparatus for moving work pieces longitudinally through an elongated electroplating tank comprising an endless chain at each side of said tank, power carrying buss bars at each side of said tank, work holding electrode rods spanning said tank from side I to side, means for supporting the ends of said electrode rods upon the buss bars and in constant sliding contact therewith, and means attached to said endless chains for sliding said electrode rods along said buss bars, eccentric means to impart vertical reciprocation to said buss bars while the rods remain in sliding contact therewith, and shock absorbers mounted on said tank and attached to said buss bars to partially restrain the downward movement of said b-uss bars and said electrode rods.

2. In combination with an apparatus for moving work pieces longitudinally through an, elongated electroplating tank comprising an endless chain at each side of said tank, push members extending upwardly from each of said chains and in pairs at opposite sides of said tank, power carrying buss bars at each side of said tank, work holding electrode rods spanning said tank from side to side and carried by said buss bars, insulating members on said rods interposed between the rods and said push members, mechanism for moving the chains whereby said rods I are moved longitudinally of said tank, and means to support the ends of said electrode rods in constant sliding contact with each of said buss bars, means to impart vertical movement to said buss bars including a plurality of synchronously" driven eccentrics, and hydraulic shock absorbers attached to said buss bars so as to partially relieve said eccentrics of the weight of the bars and Work during the downward movement of the bars.

. CHARLES L. FREAD. 1

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in 'the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 896,473 Shortt Aug. 18, 1908 1,315,029 Metz Sept. 2, 1919 1,376,379 North Apr. 26, 1921 1,773,179 Hannon Aug. 19, 1930 1,866,124 ertli July 5, 1932 2,129,463 Bullard Sept. 6, 1938 2,222,839 Hall Nov. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 748,684 France Apr. 25, 1933 7 OTHER REFERENCES Bulletin 313, pages 14 and 16 (1930), published by The Meaker Co., 1615 South 55th Ave, Chicago, Illinois. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH AN APPARTUS FOR MOVING PIECES LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH AN ELOGATED ELECTROPLATING TANK COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CHAIN AT EACH SIDE OF SAID TANK, POWER CARRYING BUSS BARS AT EACH SIDE OF SAID TANK, WORK HOLDING ELECTRODE RODS SPANNING SAID TANK FROM SIDE TO SIDE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE ENDS OF SAID ELECTRODE RODS UPON THE BUSS BARS AND IN CONSTANT SLIDING CONTACT THEREWITH, AND MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID ENDLESS CHAINS FOR SLIDING SAID 